Glacier National Park - Many Glacier area

On my trip I had only one reservation.  That was for Many Glacier Hotel.  Ever since learning of the lodges in Glacier National Park built by the Great Northern Railroad I've wanted to stay in them.  And so it was that I made reservations for one night at Many Glacier Hotel.

The Many Glacier area is considered the heart of the park, though I don't know how it achieves that distinction unless it is simply because it is towards the interior.  Every place I went was unique and beautiful in it's own way.

There are many activities at all of the lodges, but here you could go hiking, rent canoes and kayaks, take a boat tour, take a red bus tour or go on a horseback ride.

It was here that I caught the show Larry had mentioned to me.  I enjoyed the Cabin Song performance so much that I made sure I was back for West for America show the next night.  The artist was David Walburn. Check out his site.  He has a performance from both Cabin Song and West for America on the Many Glacier Hotel page.  If you find yourself there on a night he is performing, check it out.  If I find myself back there, I will.

To get to the Many Glacier area, you turn west at Babb, Montana then drive approximately 15 miles into the park.  Before entering the park, you pass Lake Sherburne that is created by a dam at it's east end.  The dam was constructed between 1914 and 1921 and the lake that filled behind it is 6 miles long. 

I was expecting a room with a partial lake view.  As it turned out, I had a full lake view.  This is looking left from the balcony I shared with the room next to me.  Kayaks are available for rent on Swiftcurrent Lake.

I decided to eat at the restaurant in the lodge.  Here I am looking in from the entrance.  Apparently at one time someone decided it would be a good idea to put a drop ceiling in and it was only in the last couple of years that it was removed revealing the gorgeous interior.  The fireplace at the end of the room is functional I believe, but did not have a fire going in it.


 

The main gathering area in the hotel.  The fireplace here had a fire going in it.  Workers would place five foot logs on it and it was kept going the entire time I was there.  I spent a little time sitting in on the chairs conversing with other guests.

The view again from my balcony looking left.  I was in the last room on the side facing the lake.  The only room beyond mine was the one that occupied the end of the building.

The view looking straight out from my balcony.

And looking to the right.  I was staying in what looked like an addition to the hotel that was connected via a walk way visible on the right.  The main lodge area is where the fire place was and the restaurant was at the far end of the main lodge.  You can't see just how long the hotel is in this view.

I really wish I had taken a picture of my room.  It was huge and had what I call "Old World Elegance."  I would go back again and would recommend it to anyone.

Essentially the same picture as the second, but the skies were different and the wind had picked up a little.